Quick, Quick, Slow
by arianapeterson19
Summary: Quick, quick, slow, we spun round and around. You whispered "I love you from the moon to the ground". Switch partners, I giggled, for the moon is so far. But you whispered to her "I love you to the stars." T in case people get offended. written off a request for a story where Beck and Andre both like Tori
1. Quick, Quick, Slow

"Quick, quick, slow, you spin me around,

you whisper, 'I love you from the moon to the ground,'

Switch partners, I giggle because the moon is so far

but you whisper to her 'I love you to the stars,'" sang Tori.

She let the chords fade out. The auditorium settled back into silence as she stared at the ivory keys. It wasn't often that she spent her lunch hour alone, but her boyfriend of almost nine months had just been caught cheating. Tori was angry with herself; she should have been more careful. He didn't go to her school, but she couldn't face her friends while she felt so lousy.

"Beautiful," commented a soft voice.

Tori looked up. There stood Andre, his red leather hooie half zipped, eyeing his best friend with an unreadable look.

"Hey, Andre," greeted Tori, a smile tattooed on her face.

"Did you write that yourself?"

"Yes, I was just messing around."

"Well, it was wonderful. I only heard the last verse, but I loved it. Are you okay, baby girl?"

"I don't know," replied Tori.

Andre sighed and hugged her. He hated that someone had hurt her again. She was his best friend and he hated to see her hurt, but somehow it felt like more than just that. He couldn't quite place his finger on it, but it nagged him in a way it would had it been Jade or Cat he was hugging.

"We missed you at lunch," said Andre, letting go. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," said Tori sadly. "I appreciate it, but I kind of just want to put it behind me."

"Okay."

Tori gave him a small smile. In her opinion, the fact that Andre could let a topic go so easily was one of his best qualities. The bell sounded, ending her thoughts.

"See you, Andre!"

Andre watched her go, wishing he could stop her from ever dating a jerk again.

Tori reached her locker and opened it to grab her book for her next class. Inside, on top of her history book, sat a sandwich and a note.

_Tori- Here's a hoagies since you missed lunch. –Beck_

She smiled, touched. Beck never did obvious things, but he was always looking out for her. She grabbed the sandwich and hurried off to class, munching happily on her prize. The day wasn't turning out as poorly as she thought it would.

After school was play practice. Tori sat on the fly rail, swinging her feet as her friends scurried about below. She had signed up to work backstage because at the time, her boyfriend wanted to spend more time with her. Now, she was glad to be able to retreat out of reach. People rarely looked up, so she was left alone.

"Hey!" greeted Beck, clamboring off the ladder to sit next to her.

"Hey," replied Tori. "What are you doing up here?"

"I'm working the fly rail with you," smiled Beck. "No offense, Tori, but you can't handle the amount of flying things in and out that this play requires."

"I'm strong," said Tori, indignantly.

"That's not what I meant. I know you're strong, I just meant that sometimes we have to fly in 4 different things in a single black out and you don't have that many arms. That's why I'm here."

"I thought you would have tried out for the lead."

"No, Andre wanted it. I've had the lead enough, I kind of want to work backstage. I like to watch plays happen sometimes as much as I like to be in them."

"Okay. Well, we don't have to do anything yet since they haven't finished the backdrops and props."

"Then why are you up here?"

Tori looked at Beck for a long moment. Beck looked back, his face curious but not wanting to pry.

"I couldn't decide what I wanted," said Tori at last. "I wanted to be alone, but I also wanted to be with my friends, so I settled with this."

"Am I interrupting your alone time?" asked Beck, suddenly concerned. "I can leave if you want."

"No!" exclaimed Tori. "No, I don't mind your company."

Beck settled back, reassured that he wasn't intruding. They sat in companionable silence for 27 minutes, Tori swinging her feet, Beck tapping his hands absently.

"Beck, if I ask you a question, can you promise you'll tell me the truth, and not just what you think I want to hear?" asked Tori, shattering the silent bubble.

"I don't lie," replied Beck. "Even if people don't want to hear something, I won't lie to them."

"Alright," said Tori, taking a deep breath. "Is there something wrong with me that makes boys want to cheat on me?"

"No. Any guy who cheats on you is an idiot, because if you are going to cheat, the rule is you have to cheat up, and since you are absolutely beautiful and amazing, there is no one above you with whom to cheat."

"Is that honestly a rule?"

"It's unspoken, kind of like the no talking while taking a piss in the boys bathroom rule. You don't generally discuss it, you just know."

Tori was suddenly glad she wasn't a boy. They had a lot of unspoken rules.

"Tori," said Beck, looking in her eyes. "Any guy would be lucky to have you. Some guys are just idiots."

She nodded. Beck inspected her face, looking for signs that she believed him. He knew that her boyfriend had cheated on her; it was all over the Slap. Those pictures were enough to make any decent guys blood boil over in rage. So far, Beck had held off mentioning it to Tori because she looked sad enough. Now, he knew was the time.

"Would you like me to go have a talk with him?" offered Beck.


	2. Slow Dancing in a Burning Room

Tori smiled sadly.

"I'd rather you didn't," she said.

"Okay," said Beck, nodding. "But know that the offer still stands."

"Thank you. Oh, and thanks for the sandwich!"

Beck shrugged, a bit embarrassed by her thanks. He hadn't done it for recognition, he had done it to help her out. When Jade had broken up with him, Tori had come t his RV and while her initial plan was to get him back together with Jade, she took the time to understand why they had broken up, something his other friends wouldn't have done. She was always trying to help people and it bothered him that most people let her trudge through alone.

"Beck?" asked Tori, breaking the silence again.

"Yes?"

"How did you deal with it?"

"With what?"

"How did you deal with Jade and you breaking up?"

"Well, the first time, I had this really good friend come by my RV and help me get back together with her," said Beck, smiling. "But, this last time, I guess I just expected it. It was like Jade and I were slow dancing in a burning room. We could stay together while everything fell apart, but in the end it we would just die. So, we broke up and I was sad but more because I missed the relationship we had before, not the one we had at the end."

"You know, you are rather mature for a boy," teased Tori.

"And you're surprisingly kind for a girl."

"Beck!" called Sikowitz. "Tori! Fly down the third rail! We need to attach microphones."

_"Oh."_

_That's all she really could say because no amount of begging, pleading, or yelling would fix it and, if she was to be honest with herself, she didn't really want to fix it in the first place._

_"So, I'll see you around then," she smiled and walked away._

_The problem with this strategy was that, as easy as it seemed to carry out, it never seemed to work out in her favor. She had always been taught to be the "bigger person" and not stoop to anyone's level. All the hard things seemed to come from her walking away._

_"Hey! Tori!" shouted Andre, running to catch up to her._

_"Oh, hi Andre," said Tori absently, not slowing her stride._

_"What was that all about?"_

_"All what?"_

_"You know very well what," said Andre, grabbing Tori's arm and pulling her to a halt. "Ray and you were having a very serious conversation by the looks of it and then you just walked away without a hug. You hug everyone."_

_"Oh, that. Well, he broke up with me."_

_Andre stared at her for a moment. Tori and had been dating for almost 10 months. They had seemed like the perfect couple. She was head over heels for Ray and he was an excellent catch. As for Tori, if she had ever paid attention she would have noticed how many boys seemed to want her. But she only had eyes for Ray._

_"What happened?" asked Andre carefully._

_"I don't really want to talk about it right now," said Tori with a smile that echoed the florescent lights encased in the ceiling tiles above their heads._

_"Okay, well, um," stuttered Andre, at a loss. Tori was not a weepy girl and he hadn't had much practice comforting girls._

_"I'll just see you at school."_

_Tori walked away and disappeared through the mall doors to hide amongst the cars in the parking lot that could drive her away from her current life._

_"Girls are too complicated," muttered Andre, walking in the opposite direction. _

_As he turned the corner, the sight that met his eye, one he had seen a thousand times over, stopped him short for the first time since the sixth grade._

__* Sorry for 2 things- 1) that it took me so long to update and 2) that this chapter is a bit disjointed. It will make sense as the story progresses. :) -Ari


	3. The Theory of Coffee

She had this theory that everything could be traced back to coffee, or, the lack thereof. Even though she did not drink coffee, in her mind, it was always the root of everything. In fact, her obsession with coffee was a complete mystery. She hated the bitterness of it, her least favorite color was the murky brown coffee displayed, and she despised how the drink could stain teeth. The smell was appealing but the attraction stopped there. Nevertheless, coffee was her answer.

Now, Tori sat in a bookstore, thinking over the last day, lulled into thoughtfulness by the sweet aroma of coffee being brewed in the attached café. People browsed past her spot on the floor in the corner, paying her no mind as she stared absently at the open book in her lap, her mind 3 years, 1 month, and 27 days away.

_Ray was 14 when he had his first cup of coffee and, to Tori, that was also the beginning of his life and her life together. It was not the first time they had met. They had been in several classes together the year before in Polick Middle School. They shared a hallway and their lockers were close enough that they knew what the other looked like but it wasn't until he got his first cup of coffee and spilled it all over her that they really met._

_It had been cold all week long and the walk to school was miserable with a 23 miles per hour wind whistling the entire way, so Ray ducked into the gas station that was on his way and bought his first ever cup of coffee. Black coffee, such a low grade brew that it if it had a specific flavor it was indistinguishable, with packet of frothy cream that just took a bit of bitterness off, was not the type of coffee a virgin drinker should try. But it was warm and that was all Charlie cared about._

_By the time he reached school, the searing heat had seeped out into the wind leaving the cup warm but not burning. Who ran into who would be debated for years after, but if it was seen on an instant replay, it would have been apparent that Ray ran into Tori. He turned the corner the moment she was straightening up from tying her frayed shoelaces together. As she stood, he walked directly into her, his coffee tipped forward, balancing precariously for a fraction of a second before the lid popped off and coffee covered her head._

_"Wow!" yelled Ray. "What the- why'd you do that?"_

_"Do what?" exclaimed Tori, her hands desperately swiping at her dripping, brown hair as it stained darker with the disgusting third rate brew. _

_"Run into me and spill my coffee!"_

_"I think the better question here is why did you pour coffee all over my head? Now my shirt is ruined!"_

_"Well, here."_

_He threw her his sweatshirt. It was at least two sizes too big, a dull shade of plum, and it had a large mustard stain dripping down the front. The band plastered on in maroon letters was one she had never heard of but looked like a heavy metal group._

_"That's not going to fix my hair," said Tori, heading into the girls bathroom._

_She dipped her head into the sink and tried to rinse as much of the coffee out of her locks as she could, but always finding more every time she tried to towel off. In the end, she just swapped her stained peach cap sleeved shirt for the sweatshirt and pulled her hair into a braid._

_"You look like a drowned rat," commented Ray when Tori reappeared._

_"Well, that's your fault," grinned Tori. "I should call animal services on you."_

_That was 3 years before, 3 years and a different corner later brought Andre to halt much like it had done for Tori, leaving him wishing he had taken a different route, waited a few minutes, gone a few minutes earlier, not gone to the mall at all, or just made Tori explain what had happened before letting her walk away._

_Around the corner was Ray, kissing Kelsey, the blonde beauty a year younger than him from North Ridge. From the way his lips moved against hers, the familiarity was certain. This was not the first time they had kissed._

_"I can't wait for high school to be over," muttered Andre._

_Ray caught sight of Andre and stepped away._

_"Andre, it's not what you think," said Ray, his deep voice panicked._

_"You're making out with Kelsey," said Andre._

_"No! I mean, yes, but Tori and I aren't together anymore!"_

_"As of about 5 minutes ago!"_

_"We aren't together!"_

_"No, you aren't, and by the looks of it, you haven't really been with Tori in a while."_

_People began pausing to stare at the two boys as they glared. In a fight, the odds would be in Andre's favor, who had half a head of height on Ray but Ray was known for his quick temper. As they sized each other up, a limber mall cop strolled up._

_"Is there a problem here?" asked the mall cop._

_"Not at all," smiled Ray. "Just catching up. I'll see you around."_

Somehow, the memory of meeting Ray made Tori smile because it eerily echoed how she met Beck.

"Hey, Tori," said Beck. "What are you doing here?"

"Beck!" said Tori, starting. "I was just thinking about how we met. How funny. What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to treat myself to a new book," said Beck, joining Tori on the ground.

"Cool. What book?"

"I'm not sure. So, why the serious face? Surely the memory of spilling coffee on my shirt really isn't that terrible."

Beck grinned in his easy way, cutting right to the core of her mood, skipping around the verbal dancing most people participated in.

"Ray cheated on me," said Tori slowly. "I caught him at the mall. Andre texted me after and told me what he saw right after Ray and I broke up, which was Ray with some North Ridge girl. I was just thinking about that."

"Don't think about it," said Beck, silently seething and wondering why Andre would tell Tori about her ex with another girl. "How about you help me pick out a book and then we go out to Nozu with everyone?"

Tori knew he was just trying to distract her and she appreciated it.

"How can you drink that stuff?" asked Tori, nodding towards the cup of coffee sitting next to the fluffy haired boy.

"Coffee is delicious!" laughed Beck. "Now let's go get that book!"

Tori stood, smiling as her theory of coffee was proved correct yet again.


	4. Nozu

At Nozu that night, Tori sat between Andre and Beck, facing Jade, Cat, and Robbie on the other side of their booth. She laughed at all the right places, smiled when everyone was looking, but her thoughts were still swarming around Ray. No matter how many times she attempted to pull herself into the conversation, her thoughts always meandered back to the boy she used to love.

"Let's go sing!" suggested Andre, trying to get Tori's mind off her current predicament.

"Oh, I love singing!" exclaimed Cat. "Come on, Andre! Let's go sing a song!"

Andre sighed but followed the ever enthusiastic red head to pick out a song.

"Do you guys think Andre likes Cat?" asked Robbie, worriedly.

"Robbie, no one cares," said Jade snidely. "I'm going to the bathroom. Move!"

She shoved past Robbie and headed through the crowded room to the facilities.

"If you like Cat, why don't you just tell her?" asked Tori, perplexed.

"Because you can't just tell a girl that you like her!" replied Robbie, shocked.

"Why not?" complained Tori. "If you like a girl, then just tell her you like her and get it over with. Then you can quit agonizing over the issue and get on with your life. It's not like she's a mind reader, you know! if you are unhappy with your relationship, you should talk to her about it, not go off and find someone else when she doesn't even know there's a problem to begin with!"

"Um, are we still talking about Cat and Andre?" asked Robbie, taken aback by Tori's sudden outburst.

The opening chords played and Andre and Cat began their performance, ending conversation at the table. Tori stared at the scuffed, laminate, table top, her eyes not seeing the faux grain or slightly off color.

"How about you and I sing a song next?" suggested Beck quietly.

"I should apologize to Robbie," said Tori, just as quietly.

"Hey, he's fine. He doesn't hold it against you. Look."

Robbie was busy talking to Rex about the best way to approach Cat, Tori's outburst already forgotten.

"I'm not sure if I'm up to singing," admitted Tori.

"I'm not going to force you to sing if you don't want to, but I think it would be a great way to get some energy out and get your mind off of things."

Tori sat back and listening to Andre and Cat's voices blending harmoniously together. The music pulled her into action and soon she was leading Beck to pick out a song. By the time Andre and Cat had finished, they had their song chosen and ready to go. Their friends passed them the microphones, Andre's face unreadable.

"Do you know me like you think you do?  
The days move quickly past,

"And we hold on and keep trying  
To make this summer last  
But soon it will be over  
And soon it won't be fine.  
We are holding on to waves  
But we cannot stop the time," sang Beck, his voice deep and clear.

"So we hold on/as we drop  
And we are trying but we can't make it stop  
The world watches as we try to win  
But even superman has to let the world spin," Tori sang with Beck, their voices melding together.

"It's not like I want you to leave me  
It's not like I think you should go.  
I can go on if you're not at my side  
I'd survive, just so you know.  
And everything's starting to change now  
My hearts beating fast out of freight  
Are you going to change, are we working this out?  
Or are we calling it quits tonight?" sang Tori, her voice ringing through the silent hang out.

"So we hold on/as we drop  
And we are trying but we can't make it stop  
The world watches as we try to win  
But even superman has to let the world spin," they sang together.

"And these word you hear  
Give you the chills," belted Beck.

"Following hurts  
But leading kills," sang Tori, her voice holding the last word.

"So we hold on/as we drop  
And we are trying but we can't make it stop  
The world watches as we try to win  
But even superman has to let the world spin."

They finished the song, bowed to the cheers and yells from the crowd, and took their seats by their friends.

Andre sized Beck up as Cat gushed over the song. In the end, Andre decided that he might have to have a little talk with Beck. Unbeknownst to him, Beck was having similar thoughts.


	5. Hammock Time

That night, Tori lounged out in her back yard in a hammock, rocking absently and staring at the ambient light filled sky. At the moment, she felt like she was five years old in the middle of a crowded park and had lost her mom. So many people were around, most ignoring her, some offering to help her, but she couldn't see her mom and she didn't know who was actually trying to help and who was dangerous. She desperately wanted something to cling to but was too afraid to move.

The ambient light turned the sky a milky grey. With that atmospheric interference, it was impossible for her to tell what time it actually was. Checking her phone was out of the question because she'd left the blasted thing inside in an attempt to forget the world. If she pretended it hadn't happened….

But it did happen and pretending would change nothing, just like crying. She hadn't cried since they broke up. In her mind, it was a sign of weakness, a show that he actually got to her, and she was afraid to let that happen. So instead of crying, she rocked in the hammock, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth.

In her driveway in the front of the house, Andre and Beck pulled up and parked at the same time. As the two boys got out of the car, they sized each other up suspiciously.

"Sorry," said Beck, speaking first in a confused tone. "I didn't realize Tori would have company. I just wanted to make sure she was okay since she wasn't answering my texts."

"Same," admitted Andre.

For an instant, Andre had considered acting as if Tori had invited him over, but the idea was quickly dismissed.

"Well," said Beck, swinging his arms. "I guess we should go check on her."

"Beck, do you like Tori?" asked Andre suddenly.

"Of course I like her," replied Beck, running a hand through his hair. "Everyone likes Tori."

"I meant, do you have a crush on her?"

Andre let the question lay there as everything in his head clicked. Even before Beck answered, Andre knew his response would be yes. The way Beck had acted for a while now pointed to yes. Everything pointed to yes.

"Andre, do you have a crush on Tori?" said Beck slowly, turning the question on his friend.

Andre stared at him, then thought it over. He cared about Tori as more than a friend, that was for sure, but he also didn't feel like it was a crush.

"I don't know," admitted Andre, his own question baffling him. "I mean, I love her, but I'm not sure if I'm in love with her. Do you know what I mean? I'd be lost without her and I never want anything bad to happen to her; it's like she is everything that is good and pure in the world. But that's just it. She is pure, and now that I say it, I don't think I have a crush on her at all. I think she is my little sister. Does that make any sense?"

Beck nodded.

"You never answered my question," said Andre after a minute.

"I'm not sure either," admitted Beck. "And I'm not going to think on it too much, because right now she just needs a friend, not someone coming on to her."

"Smart move."

"And tonight, I think she may just need her big brother. I'll go home, but tell me if she is okay."

"I will," said Andre.

Andre stood in the driveway as Beck backed out and drove away.

"He's so in love with her," said Andre, shaking his head while walking to the door.

He rang the bell and waited, but no one answered. He knocked but still no one opened the door. Feeling panic begin to rise in his chest, he walked around to the back yard to try and see in. That was where he spotted Tori, laying on the hammock, staring at the sky.

"Hey, baby girl," said Andre.

Tori jumped a little at the sound of his voice.

"Hey, Andre," said Tori, her smile strained.

"Mind if I join you?"

"Go for it."

Tori scooted over so Andre could lie down next to her. They got settled and continued the steady rocking.

"Why did you come here tonight?" asked Tori after ten minutes of silence.

"You weren't answering your texts. I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I'm fine."

"Ray was an asshole," said Andre bluntly. "He was dumb to cheat on you. I'm sorry he hurt you that way."

Tori just nodded her head furiously, her eyes bright.

"Hey, don't cry," said Andre. "I won't talk about it if you don't want me to, just please don't cry."

Tori pulled on a smile.

"I'm not going to cry," she whispered.

With that, she innocently placed her head on his shoulder and snuggled into her best friend, lulled into relaxation by the back and forth movement of the hammock.

*Sorry it took so long! I'd tell you why, but it's a bit of a sob story and I really don't think you are interested. Point is, I will update again either tonight or tomorrow for sure...or both! :)


	6. Big Girls Don't Cry

The next morning, Tori was at her locker, picking out books to place in her bag for class, when she felt someone staring at her. She looked around, trying to find the eyes burning holes in her body, and spotted them out the window. Confusion and anxiety surged through her body, setting her nerves on fire. As if a magnet, she was drawn out the door to the staring person, unsure of what to do but unable to stop.

"Hey, baby," said Ray, smirking.

"Ray, we broke up," said Tori tightly. "What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted ask you if you loved me," said Ray, his eyes glittering in a strange fashion.

"You know I loved you," whispered Tori.

"Then if you love me, you'll want to know how much happier I am now that you aren't in my life."

Now Tori realized his game. She'd seen him play it countless times before, but never like this. Like a master chess player, he was always several verbal exchanges ahead of everyone, maneuvering the conversation the way he wanted it to go, turning words over upon the speaker like tables, until with a check mate, he left them decimated. He did it in argument all the time but she had never dreamed he would turn it on her.

"This isn't funny," she said.

"You're absolutely correct. It's rather appalling that I wasted so much time on a worthless creature like you. I'm disgust with myself for ever being near you. I'm disgusted that I kissed you when I think about all the tramp germs I'm sure I contracted from it. We both know you're the reason your parents leave town all the time. They don't even want to be around you. Think about it. They took Trina on vacation with them but left you behind. I bet they were hoping someone would come around and off you so they wouldn't have to deal with you anymore. I'm glad I don't have to deal with you anymore. You're so pathetic. I just wanted to come here and tell you that to your face. Bye, Tori."

Ray walked away, leaving Tori standing in stunned silence. She literally felt what was left of her heart snapping into smaller pieces, rattling around in her hollow chest. Ray had hit every one of her weak spots. He knew her too well and he knew just what to say to hurt her. It worked.

"Move, Vega!" sneered Jade, stomping past Tori on her way into the building.

Tori did not respond, she remained standing, staring blankly, processing what Ray had said, storing every word away, feeling them burned into her brain like a brand, searing, painful, and permanent.

"What's up with Vega?" asked Jade after throwing her locker door shut. "She's just standing outside like an idiot."

"I don't know," said Cat. "She was talking to a boy just a minute ago."

"What?" said Beck.

He didn't wait for an answer and rushed outside to Tori, who was still standing in the same spot Ray had left her.

"Tori?" asked Beck, slipping a hand under her chin and gently bringing her face up. "What did he say to you?"

Tori blinked back the tears that threatened to spill over at the sound of Beck's genuine concern.

"What did he say?" asked Beck again, alarmed at her utterly shattered expression.

"I'm sorry," apologized Tori as a single tear made its grand escape, parading proudly down her check before she made a desperate swipe at it.

"What are you sorry for?"

"I shouldn't cry."

"Oh Tori," sighed Beck, pulling her into his arms. "It's okay to cry."

"No," gasped Tori, as another tear followed the first, this time hopping from her cheek to Becks navy blue plaid shirt. "Big girls don't cry. People don't like cry babies. Crying is weak, and I can't afford to be weak."

"Hush," soothed Beck, stroking her hair comfortingly. "Just for once, let someone be strong for you. I've got you. I don't know what Ray said, but he was wrong, whatever it was. The sun rises and sets for you. You are the most caring, sweet, kind, intelligent, gorgeous, talented, lovable person I have ever met and I am proud to call you my friend. You've always been there for me, now I get to return the favor."

Being held felt so nice, his words were so sincere, that Tori quickly found herself falling to pieces and Beck catching every one of them, pulling her closer and keeping her together.

*As promised, another chapter in less than 24 hours. I hope you take this apology and run with it. :) - Ari


	7. People Like You

Holding Tori as she cried hurt him more than he cared to admit. She was the strongest person he knew, the one who always cared for others first and helped them no matter what her own problems were, and yet she was in his arms, sobbing and broken. His thoughts hurtled back in time to when he and Jade broke up.

_"Look," he said, staring right in her eyes. "It's not you, it's me."_

_"Don't," she snapped. "Be a man and say what you really mean. Don't use some cop out like that!"_

_"You want to know what I really think?" he hissed. "Fine! I think that you drive me insane and are wonderful and unbalanced and crazy and I can't stand you some of the time. But I also think you are the best thing to ever happen to me. But I won't put up with this just because of that. And since you aren't shaping up, I'm shipping out."_

_He walked away, posture rigid and controlled, leaving her to stand in his wake, seething because she knew it was the truth. She had been wrong but her pride would not let her admit it to him. So she watched him walk away and not a tear rolled down her face._

_"Fine," she muttered. "If that's the way he wants it to be, then fine. I don't need him. I don't need anyone. I'm perfectly fine here on my own."_

_Word got around quickly that the longest relationship in school was no more. As it always happens with teenage drama, sides were chosen because no one could support both. People only heard half of the story, depending on the half they spoke to, and the versions of what happened, as they spread like wild fire, grew and changed. That night found him sitting alone in his RV with several empty beer cans littering his floor._

_"Beck," said Tori, entering his domain and quietly shutting the door behind her. "I'm so sorry bud. Are you okay?"_

_The look Beck gave her over his drink was clear enough._

_"Okay, right, stupid question," admitted Tori, eyeing the ground distastefully. "But I had to ask."_

_"She knows where I am if she wants me back," muttered Beck in a depressed tone._

_"So…why are you drinking?" asked Tori, leaning against his dresser nonchalantly. "I mean, okay, I know why you are drinking, I guess I am just wondering why you aren't out drinking."_

_"Because I'm underage and I hate people!" _

_"Ah, that would do it. At any rate, I think this one is your last one."_

_"Don't you tell me what to do! She was always telling me what to do and I'm sick and tired of it! So if I want to drink more than I'm going to drink more!"_

_"Well," said Tori, unfazed by the outburst. "I was simply saying that because you are out of beer to drink after that one. But okay, whatever."_

_"Why did you come here?" moaned Beck._

_"Because I love you, you silly boy. Because I never want to see you unhappy. Because I wanted to make sure you weren't going to do anything stupid."_

_"I won't do anything stupid."_

_"Yes well, the floor tells a different story."_

_"You have no idea what I am going through! You, who have never known an instant of pain! You have no right to tell me if I'm being stupid or not! You don't understand, you can never understand! Life is your play thing, you are always happy! You know nothing of loss or hurt or anything! So just leave me alone!"_

_"Sweetheart, you have no idea," whispered Tori, sitting down. "You really don't know me, do you? Yes, I am always happy, life is my play thing, I laugh, I smile, I do all that jazz, but don't you ever mistake me for someone who has never known pain. I have been through more than you can imagine and it's those experiences that made me who I am today. Because I did not let them rule me, instead I ruled them. I transformed them from something bad to something good by not letting them take over me from the inside out."_

_"You're lying."_

_"You're arrogant."_

_"I hate you."_

_"I love you too, pumpkin," smiled Tori. "Which is why I'm here. I knew you wouldn't want me to come, but I had to."_

_"Why?"_

_"Well, because as you so wonderfully put it a couple years ago, I have a 'fix you' syndrome. I can't sit there, knowing someone I care about is in pain, and not try to help. It goes against my nature."_

_"So how are you going to help me? You can't fix this."_

_"I know," chirped Tori. "But I can be here for you. Plus, I had to know what the real story was. I already asked Jade, so I have her side, but I need yours to see what can be done here."_

_"It doesn't matter what happened. Things got really screwed up and this week was awful and its over now, so drop it."_

_"You know, sometimes the thing you are running from isn't at all what you think it is, so you end up running right into it."_

_"That made no sense."_

_"I'm just saying, maybe it's not her that you are running from, but your feelings."_

_"You know, I've never had anything to drink before," admitted Beck._

_"Then why are you drinking now?"_

_"Because I couldn't think of anything else to make me feel better."_

_Tori leaned over and hugged him. He buried his face in her shoulder and let the tears fall. Later, he would claim it was because of the alcohol but in his heart, he knew it was because she had found him at his lowest and still cared, something he had no right to expect from her._

"We should be in class," said Tori at last, breaking Beck out of his thoughts as she pulled away and swiped at her eyes.

"Tori, what did he say to you?" asked Beck on last time. He knew she did not want to talk about it, but he felt like he needed to know regardless.

"He said a lot of things," said Tori, her face going dark. "A lot of mean things. I'll tell you later, but we really should go to class now."

"Okay. But later, we'll talk."

"Thank you, Beck," said Tori sincerely. "You're a better friend than I deserve."

Beck just shook his head.

_The world needs more people like you,_ thought Beck, _because it has so many people like Ray._


	8. Don't Joke

After school, Tori retreated to the fly rail once again. She was hoping to forget the entire day ever happened, but once she was alone, her thoughts invaded her mind yet again. Ray's words circled her mind like vultures, feeding on her self esteem, ripping bits of it out and feasting on it, slowly but steadily devouring all that was left.

"Hey, Tori!" said Beck, settling down next to his friend. "Andre told me to give you this."

He handed Tori a large steaming cup of coco. He, in turn, sipped an equally large cup of coffee. She smiled a little.

"Remind me to thank Andre later," she said as she took a swig. "I don't deserve him as a best friend."

Beck just shook his head.

"Now, tell me what Ray said, please," said Beck.

"Just, stuff," said Tori evasively.

"Tori."

"He said, 'You're absolutely correct. It's rather appalling that I wasted so much time on a worthless creature like you. I'm disgust with myself for ever being near you. I'm disgusted that I kissed you when I think about all the tramp germs I'm sure I contracted from it. We both know you're the reason your parents leave town all the time. They don't even want to be around you. Think about it. They took Trina on vacation with them but left you behind. I bet they were hoping someone would come around and off you so they wouldn't have to deal with you anymore. I'm glad I don't have to deal with you anymore. You're so pathetic. I just wanted to come here and tell you that to your face.'"

"He said that exactly?" said Beck, shocked.

"Yes."

Tori had replayed the conversation over in her head so many times that she doubted she would ever forget it. Each word dug into her deeper than the previous time it had played through. A lone tear made a new track down her cheek. Beck reached over and swiped it away with his thumb, causing her to look at him.

"Tori," said Beck, his voice soft. "I can't take away what he said, but I don't want you to think on it anymore. The thing is, Ray couldn't be any more wrong. I know for a fact that Andre would do anything for you. He is your best friend in the entire world and he adores you. Every girl at this school wishes she could sing half as well as you can. There are boys tripping over themselves to date you but most of them are like Ray, I'm sorry to say. But I can promise you this, I will never let you get hurt like this again."

"How can you do that?" laughed Tori shakily.

"Any way I can. I will screen all of your boyfriends personally, make them fill out an application! Have each of them present me with a resume. Then they will have to take a test, a 'so you want to date my best friend' test. Then I will have them complete several different tasks, ending in fetching me the Holy Grail! Then, once they have passed every one of those things and presented me with the Holy Grail, I will have a personal interview with them. If I am impressed, I will introduce them to you, but only if they have a decent offering to present to you."

"Wait, if he's going to be my boyfriend, why do you get the Holy Grail?" demanded Tori, smiling a genuine smile.

"Because I really want a large golden cup to drink coffee out of, duh!"

Tori laughed a deep, belly aching, infectious laugh that soon had Beck laughing along with her.

"Beck!" gasped Tori after several minutes, hiccuping slightly. "I officially relinquish the power of potential boyfriend screening to you. My heart is in your hands, so if it gets broken again, I'm taking the Holy Grail and stopping coffee trade."

"Don't even joke about stopping coffee trade, Tori," said Beck, his face serious.


	9. Bettime Stories

Saturday night rolled around and found Tori, Beck, Andre, Jade, Robbie, and Cat all watching movies in Tori's living room. They had constructed a fort out of sheets and blankets and carpeted the floor with pillows. It was almost one in the morning and a storm had rolled in.

"Hey, my mom just texted me," announced Andre.

"No one cares!" sneered Jade, absently petting her favorite pair of scissors.

"She says the storm is getting really nasty," continued Andre as if Jade had never spoken. "She wants to know if I can stay the night here. She's paranoid like my grandma, but not quite as extreme, so she doesn't want me out driving."

"Sure, you can stay," shrugged Tori. "My parents are out of town again and Trina is over at a friends house."

"Trina has friends?" interrupted Jade.

"Shocker, right?" agreed Tori. "But yeah, if it's bad, you all are welcome to stay."

"Sleepover!" squealed Cat, clapping her hands. "Beck, tell us a story!"

"Why?" asked Beck.

"Because that's what you do at sleepovers!"

"Um, sure, okay," said Beck slowly. "Once upon a time, a long time ago, a boy was born. At his birth, a gypsy foretold that he was fated to love only one woman in the entire world and that he must slay the beast guarding that woman to have her. As the boy grew up, he studied the art of swordplay so that, when the time was right, he could free his love and marry her.

"He became a knight and began his search of his fated love. For many years, the knight roamed the world, slaying beasts and freeing women left and right, yet not a single one was his love. Thought many a girl swooned for him, he had no eyes for them and always left soon after they were free in search of the beast that guarded his woman. But to no avail, for no matter how many beasts he killed and no matter how many women he met, he seemed doomed to never find her."

"How sad!" exclaimed Cat, leaning forward on her elbows.

"So the knight, knowing that he was fated to love one woman and one woman only but being unable to find her, traveled many moons to find the great wizard. The great wizard lived on top of a very tall mountain and by the time our night reached his dwelling, he was utterly exhausted and in great need of a bath.

"The wizard greeted him upon his arrival and allowed him to bathe before the knight and his horse collapsed into a deep and reviving sleep for two months. As the knight regained his strength, the wizard went about his wizardly duties.

"At last, the knight awoke from his slumber.

"'Great Wizard, where is the woman I am fated to love?' he asked the wizard," said Beck in an artificially deep voice.

"'Have you not found her yet?' questioned the wizard in surprise.

"'I have searched the land far and wide and still, I have not found her.'

"'She is across the labyrinth in the castle guarded by the beast.'

"The knight thanked the great wizard and went about his merry way.

"It took him 3 years to cross the barren labyrinth."

"But wait!" interrupted Jade. "What did he eat if the labyrinth was barren?"

"He lived those three years off of good looks and charm."

"The boy is Beck!" laughed Robbie.

"But at last, he reached the castle and began to climb," continued Beck, ignoring Robbie's remark. "However, as he was climbing, his horse became injured and could climb no more. The knight left his companion to rest and continued on, all the while searching for the beast.

"He reached the princesses tower without encountering the beast and, finding his fated love, took her and made his way back down the castle to get his horse and go. When they reached the spot where the knight had left his horse, though, they found no horse waiting for them. The horse had been taken by the beast! The knight, fearing for his loves life, told her to hide while he went after his horse. She was reluctant, but did as he bid, burrowing into the bushes.

"In a cave, the knight found his horse, no injured as he had expected, but waiting calmly for his master. The beast was curled up on the floor, diamond talons resting on the ground, scaly armor plating his body, beady eyes glaring at the knight. Not waiting for the beast to make the first move, the knight bravely jumped into action, attacking the beast. But the beast was too quick for him and his curved claws scraped the knight's side. Not to be deterred, the knight slashed at the beasts back and the impenetrable armor of the beast broke his sword.

"'Well, bugger,' said the knight, dismayed.

"His horse flashed his hooves between the fighting forms, forcing them to separate.

"'Stop!' screamed the princess, who was not very good at following directions because she had never had any directions to follow before because she had spent the last 20 years in a tower and was socially awkward."

"Cat's the princess!" yelled Jade.

"Yay!" cheered Cat. "Do I get a unicorn?"

"'I must slay the beast!' explained the knight," said Beck, talking over his friends.

"'No!' said the princess. 'He has been my only friend these past 20 years, he has befriended and healed your horse and now you want to kill him?'

It was at this moment that the knight found himself at an impasse. He could either kill the beast, marry the only woman he was fated to love, lose all of her respect, and inherit her kingdom, or he could not kill the beast and go about his way. However, gender equality was not an issue at this point in time and the knight did not care about earning the princesses respect, so he killed the beast, married the girl, and ruled her kingdom, as it should be. The end!"

"I don't like how that story ended," said Cat, pouting, while Tori and Andre rolled on the floor in a fit of giggles.

Beck smiled, proud of his creation and even more happy that he could make Tori laugh. She needed to laugh like that after the week she'd had. Suddenly, with a flash of lightning and almost simultaneous peel of thunder, the lights went out, causing several girlish screams, one from Cat, one from Tori, and the last from Robbie.


	10. It's not what it Looks like!

"Jeez, Robbie, don't be such a girl!" yelled Jade. "It's just the power!"

"Well, what do we do?" asked Andre, looking about, his eyes adjusting quickly and picking up on the light from the large windows of the Vega's house.

"We should get flashlights I guess," said Tori, standing up and making her way around the living room and into the kitchen, bumping into things hopelessly along the way.

Eventually she found a flashlight and set it in the middle of the coffee table. The teens gathered around it like a campfire.

"Beck, you suck at telling stories," stated Jade.

"Yeah!" agreed Cat. "It didn't have a single unicorn!"

"Well, then next time you can make up the story," reasoned Beck.

"I'm hungry!" declared Cat, already moving on from the story topic. "Can we have popcorn?"

"No, the powers out," said Tori.

"Phooey."

"Oh, let's play hide and go seek!" suggested Robbie.

"Kaykay!" said Cat.

"Robbie's it!" yelled Jade.

"No fair!"

"Yes fair!" laughed Andre. "Now count to 40."

"Wait!" exclaimed Tori. "The boundries- no going outside, and no bedrooms! Everywhere else is fair game."

"Okay, go!" declared Jade.

Robbie closed his eyes and began counting.

"One I love grandma, two I love grandma, three I love grandma," he said while his friends rand about blindly, searching for hiding spots.

Tori raced up the stairs and jumped into the hall closet, squeezing into a shelf and shutting the door behind her. Soon, it opened again and Beck joined her, moving to a lower, larger shelf.

"Beck, get your own hiding spot!" hissed Tori.

"Ready or not, here I come!" came Robbie's muffled yell.

"No time," said Beck. "Sorry Tori, I didn't realize you were in here."

"Shut up! He'll hear you!"

They giggled, turning into little kids.

"You know, this is going to look awkward when he find us," commented Tori as time wore on.

"Well, then get a different spot," replied Beck.

"I was here first!"

"That will be a question on the 'so you want to date my best friend' quiz," whispered Beck. "I have to see if they will give in to your every demand or make you work for what you want."

"Oh really?" laughed Tori.

"Found you!" yelled Robbie, opening the cupboard door. "Jeez, you two suck at hiding."

"Wait, are we the first ones you found?" asked Beck, crawling out and standing up.

"Well, no," admitted Robbie. "You're actually the last ones I found."

"Well then," huffed Tori, wiggling out of her shelf and toppling over in the process, heading to the ground.

Beck tried to catch her, but lost his balance, landing on the ground with Tori hopelessly tangled on top of him. At that moment, the power came back on, revealing to the entire hall the Tori and Beck pile on the ground.

"And you thought it was compromising before," laughed Beck.

*Sorry, I know it's short, but it moves it along, so yeah. -Ari


	11. A Potential Boy?

The next week at school, as the final bell rang, Beck walked up and handed Tori a stack of papers. She looked at him questioningly.

"It's an application," explained Beck, smirking. "I told you that guys were lining up to date you. This is the only one that have made it past the application part, so I thought you should read it."

"Who is it?" asked Tori, curious as to who would bother with that much work just to date her.

"No, no, that's cheating! No names yet! I want you to be unbiased in your choice."

"That's no fair!" whined Tori.

"You're the one who put me in charge!" laughed Beck. "I'll meet you at the coffee shop after you've read it!"

Tori shook her head and went to the Black Box to read the application in silence. Andre, who had watched the entire thing, shook his head and wondered why Beck would even allow other boys to apply for dating the girl he was clearly into. Well, it was obvious how into her he was to everyone but Beck and Tori themselves.

_HEIGHT: 6'1" WEIGHT: 170lbs GPA: 4.0_

BOY SCOUT RANK: Eagle Scout

_STATE: California_

Do you have parents? -Yes  
Is one male and the other female?- Yes

Number of years they have been married: 26

ACCESSORIES SECTION:

A. Do you own or have access to a van? - Yes

B. A truck with oversized tires? –No, the tires are average in size

C. A waterbed?- No

D. A pickup with a mattress in the back? - No

E. A tattoo? - No

F. Do you have an earring, nose ring, pierced tongue, pierced cheek or a belly button ring? – No

_WHAT WAS YOUR: _

_1. Last beverage = Coffee_

_2. Last phone call= my mother_

_3. Last text message= my cousin_

_4. Last song you listened to = Silly Cinderella_

_5. Last time you cried = Three years ago_

_HAVE YOU EVER: _

_6. Dated someone twice = yes_

_7. Been cheated on = no _

_8. Kissed someone & regretted it = yes _

_9. Lost someone special = yes_

_10. Been depressed = yes_

_11. Been drunk and threw up = technically, no_

_LIST MY BEST FRIENDS THREE FAVORITE COLORS: _

_12. Purple_

_13. Blue_

_14. Red_

_THIS YEAR HAVE YOU:_

_15. Made a new friend = Yes _

_16. Fallen out of love = Yes_

_17. Laughed until you cried = No_

_18. Met someone who changed you = Absolutely_

_19. Found out who your true friends were = Yes_

_20. Found out someone was talking about you = Yes_

_21. Kissed anyone of your friends = Yes_

_GENERAL: _

_22. If you were playing hide-and-seek, would you give my best friend a hiding spot you wanted or make her find her own? = Find her own, I got there first! _

_24. Is my best friend afraid of any animals? = Yes, she hates gorillas because on broke both of her arms_

_25. Do you want to change her name? = Not for a long time_

_26. What did she do for her last birthday? = She had a birthday party with her friends and went mini golfing _

_27. Does she like early morning texts? = Yes, but she would rather sleep_

_28. Would you keep her out past curfew? = No, that's against the rules_

_29. Name something you CANNOT wait for = A really large dinosaur_

_30. Last time you saw your mother = About five minutes ago…..why is this relevant?_

_31. What is one thing you wish you could change about your life = I'd be dating Tori (cheesy, I know) _

_32. What type of music do you listen to? = Anything but heavy metal and rap_

_33. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom = Um, yes…..why?_

_34. What gets on your nerves? = When people smack their gum in the middle of class_

_35. Do you have a lot of friends? = I have several close friends, which is better I think_

_37. Nicknames = My name is not Nick…so no._

_38. Relationship Status = single (isn't that part obvious?)_

_39. Zodiac sign = Libra_

_40. He or She? = Is this a real question? I'm a guy._

_41. Elementary? = Summerset Elementary_

_42. High School? = Hollywood Arts _

_43. College = No thank you, I haven't finished high school yet_

_44. Hair color = brown _

_45. Long or short = It depends on your definition of "long" but I suppose longer than short_

_46. Height = I thought this question was asked in the beginning…_

_47. Do you have a crush on someone? = …really? I'm fairly positive that is why I am filling this out_

_48. What do you like about yourself? = My hair…..which sounds way more vain when written_

_49. Piercings = No thank you._

_50. Tattoos = Try again later_

_51. Righty or lefty = Righty_

_FIRSTS : _

_52. First surgery = I don't think I've ever had surgery… _

_54. First best friend = Peter Bertels _

_55. First sport you joined =Soccer (first grade, and I was terrible) _

_56. First vacation = I don't know. We went on several when I was a baby. Either Florida or Mexico._

_58. First pair of trainers = Wait…is this like a diaper thing? Am I supposed to know what diaper I wore when I was an infant? Or do you mean shoes? Because I haven't the foggiest on that either_

_RIGHT NOW: _

_59. Eating = I love food! I'm eating an apple right now. _

_60. Drinking = I'm underage, so I don't drink…_

_61. I'm about to = finish answering this survey_

_62. Listening to = the sound of my heart (I'm also snarky, so yeah…)_

_63. Waiting for = The One (yeah…I'm a hopeless romantic), but I'm not in any rush_

_YOUR FUTURE : _

_64. Want kids? = Yes, but not in the near future_

_65. Get Married? = Definitely_

_66. Career? = Film _

_WHICH IS BETTER : _

_67. Lips or eyes? = Eyes_

_68. Hugs or kisses = Depends on who is giving them to me _

_69. Shorter or taller= I think it would be kinda weird if my girlfriend was taller than me, considering how tall I am…._

_70. Older or Younger = I could go a little younger or a little older, but I think it works best if we're about the same age_

_71. Romantic or spontaneous = Mostly romantic, but I like a little spontaneity_

_72. Nice stomach or nice arms = I've never really looked at a girl and thought "dang, that girl has nice arms", so I guess I'm gonna say nice stomach?_

_73. Sensitive or loud = Does sensitive mean easily offended? Because I tend to say things without thinking sometimes, and that could cause some problems…but I'm okay with loud _

_74. Hook-up or relationship = Relationship _

_75. Trouble-maker or hesitant = A bit of both would be best _

_HAVE YOU EVER : (I love that game)_

_76. Kissed a stranger = Yes, once._

_77. Drank hard liquor = Yes, once._

_78. Lost glasses/contacts = I don't wear either, but I did lose sun glasses, does that count? _

_79. Had sex on first date = No._

_80. Broken someone's heart = Yes, once_

_81. Had your own heart broken = Yes._

_82. Been arrested = No._

_83. Turned someone down = Yes and in turn I have been turned down_

_84. Cried when someone died = Yes, but only one person I love has ever died._

_85. Fallen for a friend? = hahahaha story of my life…_

_DO YOU BELIEVE IN: _

_86. Yourself = Yes. If I don't believe in myself, why should I expect anyone else to believe in me?_

_87. Miracles = Absolutely_

_88. Love at first sight = Or should I walk by again? ßeasily one of my favorite bad pick up lines_

_89. Heaven = Definitely_

_90. Santa Claus = Of course!_

_91. Kiss on the first date = If it feels right, but I prefer to kiss on the cheek the first date_

_92. Angels = I believe that my best friend is an angel, so yes_

_93. Had more than one boyfriend/girlfriend? = Not at one time_

_95. Did you sing today? = Yes, I secretly sing in my car_

_96. Ever cheated on somebody? = No. I hate cheaters with a burning passion_

_97. If you could go back in time, how far would you go, and why? = I'm good with where I am._

_98. If you could pick a day from last year and relive it, what would it be? = October 23, I will explain why if I make it to the last round_

_99. Are you afraid of falling in love? = Absolutely not._

_100. Would you treat my best friend well? = Yes, I would rather face my ex girlfriend in her most volatile state than hurt Tori.  
ESSAY SECTION:_

In 50 words or less, what does 'LATE' mean to you?  
It means that I am not on time for a date. The girl is never late, she arrives exactly when she means.

In 50 words or less, what does 'DON'T TOUCH MY BEST FRIEND' mean to you?  
It means that I do not touch her unless she wants me to do so, and then I only do with respect

SHORT-ANSWER SECTION:

Answer by filling in the blank. Please answer freely all answers  
are confidential.

A: If I were shot, the last place I would want shot would be: 

_Brain Stem_

B: If I were beaten, the last bone I would want broken is my:  
Tailbone, those things never heal properly

C: A woman's place is in the:

_The place she wants it to be._

D: The one thing I hope this application does not ask me about is:

_My dating history_

E. What do you want to be IF you grow up?

_An actor_

F: When I meet a girl, the thing I always notice about her first is:  
Her eyes

G: What is the current going rate of a motel room? I haven't the foggiest

I SWEAR THAT ALL INFORMATION SUPPLIED ABOVE IS TRUE AND CORRECT TO  
THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE UNDER PENALTY OF DEATH, DISMEMBERMENT,  
INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIAN BULL ANT TORTURE, CRUCIFIXION, ELECTROCUTION,  
CHINESE WATER TORTURE and RED HOT POKERS

Thank you for your interest, and it had better be genuine and non-intimate.  
Please allow four to six years for processing.

You will be contacted in writing if you are approved. Please do not try to call or write, If your application is rejected, you will be notified by two gentleman wearing white ties carrying violin cases. (You might watch your back)

_To prepare yourself, start studying Beck's Rules for Dating his Best Friend_

Beck's Rules for Dating his Best Friend:

Rule One: If you pull into her driveway and honk you'd better be delivering a pizza or chinese, because you're sure not picking anything up.

Rule Two:  
You do not touch my best friend in front of me. You may glance at her so long as you do not peer at anything below her neck. If you cannot keep your eyes or hands off of my best friend's body, I will remove them.

Rule Three:  
I am aware that it is considered fashionable for boys of your age to wear their trousers so loosely that they appear to be falling off their hips. Please don't take this as an insult, but you and all of your friends are complete idiots. Still, I want to be fair and open minded about this issue, so I propose this compromise: You may come to the door with your underwear showing and your pants ten sizes too big, and I will not object. However, in order to ensure that your clothes do not, in fact come off during the course of your date with my best friend, I will take my electric nail gun and fasten your trousers securely in place to your waist. Your choice.

Rule Four:  
I'm sure you've been told that in today's world sex without utilizing a 'Barrier method' of some kind can kill you. Let me elaborate, when it comes to sex, I am the barrier, and I will kill you.

Rule Five:  
It is usually understood that in order for us to get to know each other, we should talk about sports, politics, and other issues of the day. While this is encouraged, the only information I require from you is an indication of when you expect to have my best friend safely back at her house, and the only word I need from you on this subject is: 'early.'

Rule Six:  
I have no doubt you are a popular fellow, with many opportunities to date other girls. This is fine with me as long as it is okay with my best friend. Otherwise, once you have gone out with her, you will continue to date no one but her until she is finished with you. If you make her cry, I will make you cry.

Rule Seven:  
As you stand in her front room, waiting for my best friend to appear, and more than an hour goes by, do not sigh and fidget. If you want to be on time for the movie, you should not be dating. My best friend is putting on her makeup and doing her hair, a process than can take longer than painting the Sydney Harbor Bridge . Instead of just standing there, why don't you do something useful, like changing the oil in my car?

Rule Eight:

Do not lie to me. I may appear to be a skinny, cool, young, and generally good natured, but on issues relating to my best friend, I am the all-knowing, merciless god of your universe. If I ask you where you are going and with whom, you have one chance to tell me the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I have a shotgun, a shovel, and a beach nearby. Do not trifle with me.

At the end, Tori smiled. She knew they had just been joking when they'd talked about having a dating application, but it warmed her in a way she could not explain to know that Beck had gone out of his way to do this for her. If she was being honest with herself, she wished that it was Beck who had filled out the application, but she was not being honest, and she did not want to fall for her best friend. With that thought in mind, she headed off to the coffee shop to speak to Beck about meeting whoever this guy was.

*Sorry, I know this took my like a week, but it's also super long. -Ari


	12. More about Coffee

It was a small shop, but cozy. Instead of being found on a main street, it was off a corner, the door faded green door set back a ways. Each month, they ordered coffee from a different town, mixing up their brews and trying new roasts. Beck had found the shop during his first semester at Hollywood Arts. He had been wandering around when he stumbled upon the place. Jade never liked going with him because she hated having to try new blends; once she found something she liked, she was comfortable an unwilling to change. Cat did not need coffee. Robbie was too strange and broke things. Andre would come with him randomly, but for the most part was too busy to join him on his coffee adventure. Tori was the first one to join him on a regular basis, making the shop 'their' hang out. She would always get tea or hot coco and try a sip of whatever he was drinking, always scrunching her face in dislike after the sip, but trying it nonetheless. The walls were painted a muted yellow and pale mint green, the arm chairs scattered about were overstuffed and worn, the tables miniscule at best, the stools lopsided, but the entire place radiated a homey feel that made up for the lack f grandeur. In the background, nondescript music of local bands played softly.

"So, who is it?" demanded Tori, taking the seat opposite Beck of the small round table.

"Drink your coco," said Beck, pointing to the steaming orange ceramic cup in front of her.

"Tell me who the guy is first, please!" begged Tori, giving him her best puppy dog eyes.

"Well, tell me what you thought about him just from his application."

"I thought he seemed nice and interesting. I will say, I enjoyed your rules for dating me, but don't you think it will scare most guys off?"

Beck grinned. "That's the point. Any guy who is scared by the rules is probably only interested in you for the wrong reasons. I don't want those guys around and neither do you. Anyway, what would be your ideal guy?"

"I don't know!" whined Tori, throwing her hands in the air in a comical way. "Tall, dark, and handsome. He would be sweet and caring and funny and strong and my friend."

Beck ran a hand through his fluffy hair, thinking over what she had said. He wondered if he was doing the right thing, but then he remembered her tears and knew he would never stand to see those again.

"Tori, I have found the best guy there is for you," announced Beck. "He may not be perfect, but he is perfect for you and will never hurt you."

"Well, who is he?" asked Tori, bursting at the seams to know.

In her mind, she was biting her nails, waiting to see what guy Beck had found for her that she had not seen. Maybe it was someone from a different school. Maybe it was someone a year older. Maybe it was a cousin of his. The list went on as she bounced up and down, waiting for his answer.

"You just got out of a relationship," reasoned Beck, his words emerging at an impossibly slow rate. "I don't think you should rush into another one."

"What if I promise not to date him for two whole months and spend that time getting to know him better?"

"When two months has passed and if you are truly over Ray, then I will introduce you to him. Until then, you have to put up with me."

"Why can't you just tell me who it is now?" pouted Tori, crossing her arms in a childish fashion, not entirely upset at the idea of spending the next two months trying to wheedle out of Beck who was this mystery perfect guy way.

"Because you aren't ready," said Beck with a smug smile. "He's not going anywhere, don't worry. He will wait for you if it takes you 50 years to get over Ray."

"Really?" asked Tori, her eyes sparkling.

"Really," said Beck. "He would wait to the end of time if that's what you asked him to do. Luckily for you both, he just has to wait two months."

He smiled at her kindly, knowing she was going to try and convince him to tell her over the course of the following 60 days. There was something incredibly satisfying in knowing he had found the perfect guy for her and, for the time being, he was going to enjoy lording it over her.

"Can you at least tell me if he goes to our school or not?" she begged.

"He goes to our school," confirmed Beck. "And I will even give you one last hint. You already know him."

*I know that took me forever, I swear I haven't forgotten about you! Thank you for being patient!-Ari


	13. Lake Time

"Let's go to the lake!" cheered Cat, hopping up and down in excitement.

"You have to sit down, Cat," said Andre patiently from the drivers seat.

"Then we can go to the lake?"

"Yes, then we can go to the lake. Now please sit down and buckle up."

"Kay-kay!"

Once Cat was seated and buckled in, Andre drove her and Robbie to the lake, meeting up with Jade, who was already there. Soon after, Beck and Tori arrived as well, hauling a large cooler packed with sandwiches and drinks on ice between them.

"Here, I got it," said Ander, grabbing the handle from Tori in a gentlemanly gesture.

"Thanks!" said Tori.

It had been two weeks since her conversation with Beck in the coffee shop and she was still trying to guess what boy Beck had found for her. She wondered if Andre taking the handle was him just being nice or him trying to show her he liked her as more than a friend. Inwardly cringing, she hoped it was just a friendly thing because she loved Andre, but more as a brother and just could not see him as her boyfriend.

"Cat!" groaned Jade. "Why are you making me be here? You know I can't stand those people."

"Oh hush you big baby," laughed Cat, as she placed her towel on the ground near the lake. "You like Andre and Robbie and Beck and Tori. Yes, even you like Tori!"

"Whatever," grumbled Jade. Then he looked at Cat. "Are you sure you aren't interested in Robbie?"

"Yes," said Evie.

"Don't lie to me. I know you aren't telling me something. Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, it's nothing talking can fix."

"It'll make you feel better," said Jade in an uncharacteristically wheedling tone.

"Later. Right now, let's just enjoy this day at the lake, okay?"

Jade nodded and the two moved to join the others by the water.

"Tori!" squealed Cat, back to her usual energetic self in a flash. "Beck! I'm so glad you guys could make it!"

"Hey Cat," laughed Tori, giving her redheaded friend a hug.

Beck noticed how similar the girls acted. Tori was taller by a several inches, and her hair was a softer shade of brown and when the light caught it, he could see streaks of deep red that Cat's hair put to shame. Both girls had the same nose and expressive faces, though and both seemed too energetic than humanly possible. Cat was happy go lucky and Tori was sweet and helpful, but unnatural characteristics in most teenage girls.

Andre, Robbie, and Jade were busy testing a rope that was tied to a tree branch over the water. They took it in turns to swing off and flip through the air, landing in the deep water.

The day went well, everyone laughing and enjoying the last time they would be together at the lake before school really picked up. The sun was out and the water was cool.

"Come on Tori!" cheered Beck. "Your turn!"

He handed her the rope. She looked at it with a look of disbelief.

"It's completely safe, don't worry," assured Andre.

"Oh, it's not that," said Tori. "I just don't really see the point. I'm not sure when I should let go or anything."

"Oh, well that's easy," laughed Andre. "Let go over the water."

"Okay," said Tori slowly. She had a weird feeling about doing it. She was not afraid, she had done far more dangerous things at the Gorilla Club and falling into water was one of her favorite things to do, but something was nagging at her.

Shrugging, Tori took a running leap and jumped. Swinging through the air, she let out an exhilarated squeal and let go.

The water was cold and swirled around her as she sank deeper and deeper. Sinking was half the fun for her, feeling enclosed, hearing all sound distorted, feeling as if she had entered a whole new world. The surface rose higher and higher above her head and the soft, weedy lake ground grew closer. Eyes closed, she felt the soft brushes of what could be weeds of fish against her bare stomach, arms, and legs, her swimsuit of little protection from their ticklish nature. Then her lungs began to ache, signaling that it was time to return to the surface and the world which she was born. With an inward sigh, Tori kicked towards the light filtering to her with the power of years of running behind her.

Soaring up, she was suddenly yanked back down. Her legs had become entangled in weeds, preventing her from reaching the surface. Lungs screaming, she was shocked into opening her eyes, immediately losing her contacts in the lake. She reached down and started tugging at the weeds, scratching her legs as she attempted to prize the trap off. The world was starting to slow down, she could not move her arms anymore. The weeds were going to win and she could not stop them. She was aware of her hands slipping from the natural ropes before her world descended into welcoming darkness.

"Where is she?" asked Robbie, staring at the spot where Tori had disappeared into the water. "Shouldn't she be up by now?"

"Tori likes being under water," commented Andre, remembering back to the first time Tori had gone to the ocean with their group of friends, about a month after she had started going to Hollywood Arts. "She will come up in a second."

They waited but still, Tori did not appear.

"No one likes water that much," said Beck, sprinting to the place with the rope and jumping in.

After a long minute, Beck broke the surface, gasping for breath.

"She's caught on the weeds!" he shouted. "I need a knife! In my pocket!"

Andre rummaged through Beck's jacket pockets and found his pocket knife. Sprinting back to the lake, he jumped in and handed Beck the knife. Both boys disappeared beneath the surface, effectively muting Cat and Robbie's cries of anguish.

After what seemed like ages, Beck and Andre shot to the surface, Tori's pale, limp form with them.

*Again, sorry it took me a while. I will have a quicker update this time!-Ari


	14. Don't you dare give up!

Everything was, not dark or light but more the absence of anything at all. There was not sense of touch or smell or sight or anything but it was not a strange feeling to lack those senses. Tori simply was and that was enough. It was not like falling or floating at all, there were no proper words to explain the feeling. Then again, there were no words at all, and that was okay.

But of course, she could not stay that way, calming as it was. Something had to give, one way or another, and pull her in the direction she was going.

_Good things never last,_ thought Tori, discovering that she could still form thoughts, however in coherent they were. _Ha! That's a song! Good things never last, there's nothing we can do. You have to change your ways if you want to skip the passing cup. You need to do what's right because I am giving up._

"Giving up?" came a voice, meandering through the area she occupied, that sounded oddly familiar. "Victoria Vega, don't you dare give up."

_Oh, Victoria! That's me! That's me! Someone is angry,_ thought Tori vaguely. She tried to focus her wandering brain a bit more and, as a reward, regained more of her sense of hearing.

"Beck," said another person, just as panicked but less angry. "She didn't say anything."

"Tori, please!" begged Beck. "Don't leave me!"

_I'd never leave you_, Tori tried to say, but she could not form the words.

Thinking directly to a person seemed to do the trick, though, as reality came crashing down on her and with it, the shocking adventure of not breathing. It felt as though an elephant was jumping on her chest, which was strange because elephants are physically incapable of jumping. But still, jump the elephant did and it did no good in freeing her airways, just left bruises across her chest. The suffocating feeling increased to a new high and instinctively she fought against it by trying to cough out whatever was blocking her from breathing and gasp for air at the same time. The result was painful, but once she started coughing, she could not stop.

"Tori!" came Beck's voice, louder than the rushing in her ears or the coughs that wracked her thin frame while she ungracefully dispelled more water than she thought possible to swallow.

Finally, the coughs subsided and left Tori weak and sobbing for breath. Strong, warm arms held her up to make it easier on her aching lungs.

"Can someone get her a blanket or something?" demanded Beck. "She's freezing."

Opening her eyes for the first time, she saw Beck's face close enough to not be blurry. Then her was hugging her and mumbling incoherently into her dripping dark hair.

"Here!" said Jade, tossing a large towel over Tori.

It was the first time Tori had ever heard her tone softened and concerned for her. Andre appeared next to her and placed her glasses gently on her nose so that to world came sharply back into focus.

"You scared us there for a minute, Tor," said Andre with a hitch in his voice. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Don't you ever do that again, Vega," said Jade, but her heart wasn't in the sneer.

Tori spotted Cat still sobbing into Robbie's chest while Robbie tried to reassure her that everything was okay and Tori was alive.

Beck continued to hold Tori, wrapping the towel more firmly around her and trying to get her warmed up.

"Please don't scare me like that again," whispered Beck so that only she could hear. "I don't know what I would do if I lost you."

"What happened?" croaked Tori, her throat a painful passage and voice rough from their excursions of the day.

"I'm so sorry, Tori," said Beck. "We never should have made you try the rope. You swung out, dropped, and then got your feet tangled in the weeds at the bottom of the lake. When you didn't come up, I jumped in after you. Andre got my knife and we dove down and managed to cut your free, but you were under for so long, and then you weren't breathing."

"Hey, it's okay now," whispered Tori. "Thanks for saving my life."

"It's the least I could do after the amount of times you saved mine."

Tori was about to ask Beck what he meant by that, but another round of coughing bubbled up, so she was forced to leave it at that for the time being.

*See, told you it would be a faster update!-Ari


	15. It's a Party!

"Oh my goodness!" squealed Cat that Wednesday at school, running up to the lunch table where Beck, Jade, Robbie, Rex, Andre, and Tori all sat. "Did you guys hear about the man in Florida who ate the other man's face?"

"Calm down, Little Red," said Andre. "We heard. He was just on drugs, it's nothing to dye your hair over."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" screamed Cat.

"Nothing."

"Oh, okay!" smiled Cat for an instant before her mind flitted back to its original topic. "You don't understand! This is just the beginning! Don't you see? The zombie apocalypse has started!"

"Well, if that's the case, then I am inviting everyone but Rex to my post apocalyptic party," said Tori. "However, since they guy was just on drugs AND he was in Florida and we are in California, I think we have time to work out the details."

Everyone stared at her for a moment.

"What's a post apocalyptic party?" asked Beck, thinking he would probably regret asking but still pleased he had made the cut to a party he didn't know was happening..

"I love parties!" giggled Cat, taking a seat next to Robbie. "Can we dress up as pirates?"

"You've never heard of a post apocalyptic party?" said Tori in disbelief. "Come on! It's the people you want to have with you when the apocalypse happens. Normally, you invite people who would be beneficial to your survival. Really? Not a single one of you knows what that is? The boys at Sherwood used to talk about it all the time."

"Did you just say something about a party? Am I invited?" asked Trina, overhearing the conversation.

Tori looked at her sister. As much as she loved her, Trina was not on the list.

"About that," said Tori, a bit awkwardly. "I thought you would be holding your own party."

"Fine," said Trina, storming away. "But my party will be way better!"

They watched her leave before turning back to the conversation at hand.

"Tori, your old school is weird," commented Andre.

Tori made a show of looking around her, watching people practice instruments, dance, throw things, and so on, before looking back at the first friend she made when she switched schools.

"Yeah, my OLD school was pretty weird. Thank goodness I came here where it's normal."

"Valid point," chuckled Andre.

"Everyone's invited to my party!" laughed Cat. "And so are the bunnies! No one ever thinks to invite the bunnies."

"Robbie, Cat, and Tori aren't invited to my party," sneered Jade. "Beck, you can come and Andre, you can come if you want."

"I think Cat should be invited," said Beck. "If the apocalypse happens, we're going to need some form of entertainment so we don't go insane. Plus, she would come in handy if we ever had to think outside of the box."

"Fine, then Cat can come. But no one else."

"Ah, but do you have a place to host the party?" asked Tori. "That's half of it! You can't stay in the city, it's not safe! My party is going to be on my aunt's ranch. It's out of the way, on top of a hill surrounded by plains, and has plenty of resources. And yes Jade, you are invited to my party."

"I love horses!" squealed Cat. "I'm going to Tori's party!"

Jade shot Tori a glare.

"But what skills does Tori have that would be beneficial in the post apocalyptic world?" demanded Jade.

"I can do foot archery," Tori reminded her smugly. "I can also shoot real archery. Since guns will eventually become obsolete because we can't provide the ammunition for them, archery will be a vital skill set to have if you want meat."

"I have perfect vision," supplied Andre. "I can be a lookout. Also, I can cook, so that's a plus!"

"Andre is invited."

"I know which plants are good to eat and which aren't," said Beck. When everyone gave him appraising looks, he continued. "I went camping a lot when I was younger, I was very into nature, so I memorized different plants."

"Beck's invited!"

"I don't want to go to your stupid party," huffed Jade.

"Jade, I already said you're invited," said Tori.

"Hey, how come Jade doesn't have to bring a skill to get invited?" whined Robbie.

"Jade is lethal with scissors," replied Tori. "That's her skill."

"Robbie doesn't have any skills," announced Rex.

"Hey!" protested Robbie.

"Rex, neither do you," said Tori. "You're a puppet and you give me the creeps, so you aren't invited unless you want to be fire wood."

"Oh!" exclaimed Robbie, a grin breaking over his face. "I know how to set bones and stitch up cuts!"

"Ew! How do you know how to do that?"

"My dad's a doctor. He used to bring me to work all the time with him because no one wanted to babysit me. I also learned how to take and draw blood, but that give me the creeps."

"Fine, Robbie, you are invited to my party," sighed Tori. "If and only if you also bring medical supplies and toilet paper. I am not wiping with leaves."

"Well, now that we have that established," said Jade. "What type of apocalypse are we going to have?"

"Did you guys hear about the man in Florida who ate the other man's face?" yelled Cat.

"You just told us about him," said Beck gently.

"Then why would Jade ask what type of apocalypse we're going to have? It's clearly zombies!"

Everyone laughed as Cat got the better of Jade. In the moment, Tori's hand brushed against Becks and he swore the sparks literally shock into the air. He was surprised no one else noticed until he saw Tori staring at him with a goofy grin. Her brown eyes sucked him in, pulled him closer to her invitingly pink lips that were parted slightly as she breathed. Her vanilla and honey scent wafted up his nostrils, swirled through his sinuses, and landed in his brain, being stored away in his memory permanently. They were inches apart and closing the distance when someone screamed, causing them to jump back and look around for the source.

*Hope you enjoyed the update! :) -Ari


	16. Whimsy

"Whimsy!" cried Robbie, jumping up from the table and running to a small dog.

"What a fun word!" cried Cat. "Whimsy! Whimsy! Whimsy!"

The dog ran past Robbie and stopped at Cat's feet as she giggled.

"Cat, that's the dog's name, Whimsy," explained Robbie.

"No Robbie, my name is Cat, not dog!"

"What is a Whimsy?" demanded Andre.

"That is!" laughed Robbie.

"Why is a Whimsy so exciting that you had to scream?" asked Beck, leaning back, running his hand through his hair, trying to remain calm.

"Whimsy isn't supposed to be out! Oh, he must have followed me here today!"

"Robbie has a Whimsy!" giggled Cat.

"Andre, can you drive me home? I need to put Whimsy back," explained Robbie, cuddling the tiny dog to his chest.

"I can't," said Andre, packing up his food. "I have to talk to Sikowitz before class.

"Jade, will you?"

"I don't like you," sneered Jade.

"Oh, I'll go with you! I love dogs!" laughed Cat. "Come on, Robbie, and then we can get ice cream!"

"Well if it means we're ditching school, then yeah, I am so game," said Jade. "Let's go. And if your stupid dog pees in my car, you are so dead."

The three friends left the table, leaving Tori and Beck sitting in awkward silence. Tori tugged nervously at her hair while Beck studied the table as if he would be tested over it later.

"Hey baby," greeted a deep voice, taking a seat next to Tori.

"Um, Ray," said Tori, shocked. "What are you doing here?"

"I came here to see you," said Ray, his voice friendly. "I wanted to talk to you."

"How about no," said Tori, standing up. "I'm not really interested in what you have to say."

"You might change your mind when you hear what it is."

"I doubt it."

"I wasn't on my way to see you," began Ray, following Tori as she walked towards the school. "I was going to grab something to eat from Nozu, but then I saw your sister walking that way. Tori, listen to me."

"Ray, I'm really not interested."

"Leave her alone, man," said Beck. "You've already done more than enough."

"Tor, I'm sorry about what happened," apologized Ray. "Really, I am. But you have to listen to me. You need to hear it from me before you hear it from anyone else."

"Tori!" screamed Jade, running across the parking lot, dark hair flying, black skirt rippling in the wind.

"What?" asked Tori, alarmed by the panicking girl.

"Tori," panted Jade, reaching her at last. "Tori, you sister, Trina. She-she got hit by a car!"

"What?" gasped Tori, taking a step back, which coincidently brought her right into Rays arms.

"That's what I was trying to tell you, babe," Ray whispered in her ear. "So, will you take me back?"

"Get away from me!" screamed Tori, trying to pull herself out of his vice like grip. "Leave me alone!"

"Babe, come on," said Ray with his easy smile.

"Let her go," said Beck, his voice quiet and dangerous.

Ray looked into Beck's cold dark eyes and saw something there that made him think that letting go of Tori would be in his best interest.

"Whatever," said Ray, releasing Tori roughly so that she stumbled a bit before he stormed off.

"Come on, Tori," said Beck, taking her hand. "Let's go see Trina. Jade, you get Andre."

Tori nodded.

"The ambulance just got here!" screamed Cat from the far edge of the parking lot.

Tori and Beck ran to see what was going on. Medics surrounded the place Tori assumed her sister was. She began shoving through the crowd, trying in vain to get to the center.

"Hey, miss, I need you to back away," said one police officer.

"No!" said Tori. "That's my sister! I have to see her."

"Sweetie, we're taking her to the hospital right now," said a kind faced medic. "You can meet us there, if you want."

"I don't have a car!" cried Tori, starting to go to pieces.

"I'll drive you," said Beck.

"But there's school and a Whimsy and lunch," babbled Tori as he led her to his car.

"Let's go," said Beck.

He sped to the hospital almost beating the ambulance, ignoring traffic laws, driving as if he were in a video game or as if he stole the car.

"I need to see Trina Vega!" announced Tori to the man sitting behind the information desk.

"Who?" asked the man in a lazy tone, unfazed by the sense of urgency every person who wanted information from him had.

"Trina Vega," repeated Tori. "She was hit by a car. They just brought her in a few minutes ago."

"Oh, well then you have to wait," said the man. "I don't have any information on her. But if you go down the hall and to the right you will find the waiting room. The doctors will know to find you there when they find anything out."

"Tori!" cried Andre, running through the double glass doors. "What happened? How is she?"

"I don't know," said Tori, tears forming behind her eyes. "They said we have to wait down the hall before we find anything out. Did anyone call my parents?"

"Cat did," said Andre, walking with Tori and Beck to the waiting room. "Jade took Robbie and Cat to drop off Whimsy and they will be here after that."

The waiting room was large with soft grey walls and lots of couches and chairs. They were the comfortable couches, not the hard wooden set couches with no cushion, clearly meant for long waits. Beck, Andre, and Tori sat together on one, Tori in the middle, waiting restlessly for news. Andre placed a calming hand on Tori's knee while Beck wrapped a strong arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. She said nothing, just stared at the door, willing someone, anyone, to walk through it and tell her it was all a dream.

*Sorry it took so long! Also, since it is National Novel Writing Month, check out my novel on fictionpress called "The Web We Weave"! Hope you liked the chapter!-Ari


	17. Poetry on the Couch

Mr. and Mrs. Vega arrived after a short time. After saying hello to their youngest daughter, they disappeared with the doctors, talking intensely and demanding answers. The afternoon turned into evening and Jade, Robbie, and Cat arrived with food for Andre, Beck, and Tori. They ate more to have something to do than because they were hungry. Still, no one would tell them anything.

"What happened?" asked Tori at last.

She was sitting on the couch again, curled into Beck's side, shivering even though she was not cold. Her eyes were trained on Jade even though she knew Robbie and Cat had seen it as well. Jade would tell her the truth.

"Trina was being stupid," said Jade, her voice not as harsh as it normally was, but still unforgiving. "She tried to cross the street in the middle of it instead of at the crosswalk. And she was on her phone. Some car took the corner too fast. I didn't see who it was. He was in a red car."

"Did it have an emergency stripe down the side?" asked Tori, perking up.

"Um, it had one of those reflective stripes, yeah," replied Jade, confused. "Why?"

"And it was an off-roading type vehicle?" clarified Tori. "Four doors, like one of those emergency cars?"

"Yes."

"What's up?" asked Beck.

Tori looked up at him for a long minute. Her face was unreadable as she studied him like she would have a test later.

"What's this, Tori?" asked Cat, picking up Tori's open notebook.

"I don't know, Cat," sighed Tori, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "Why don't you read it and see."

"Kay kay! Oh, I think it's a poem!" before Tori could protest, Cat began reading.

"How arrogant you are to think you hold my heart," read the red head clearly.

"With your hands the size of Jupitor, rough like the surface of the moon,

and eyes Mitus touched long ago. Your skin would fit a Yhetti,

pale but burning like lava to my touch.

My heart would be destroyed in an instant with you.

I'd be a fool to let you hold it.

"I've seen you snap, you Minatar, at any hand that ventures near.

You snapped at me, remember? But I stayed because you missed.

I'm a dare devil and you are a challenge.

Like a black hol, you suck everything down into an endless pit.

You call me a light but you try to steal me glow.

You think I've fallen but you're wrong.

"Out of it all, I can't help but laugh at your stone angel face.

You don't hold my heart because I have none.

Call him what you will but Zeus, that cannibal, beat you to it

so snap all you want, I've already bled out.

You never held my heart, you arrogant bastard.

But if I had one, it would be yours."

Everyone stared at Tori as tears coursed down her cheeks. She tried to get up and run out but Beck held her close, so instead she buried her face into his chest, inhaling his safe scent as he stroked her hair.

"Cat, you shouldn't have done that," said Beck softly.

"What?" said Cat innocently. "Tori said I could read it!"

"She didn't mean out loud!" snapped Jade. "Come on, Cat, let's get coffee."

"I don' want to go with you," said Cat evasively. "You might kill me."

"I'll go with you, Little Red," said Andre, eyeing the pair next to him. "So will Robbie. We'll make sure you don't get killed."

"Kay kay!" cheered Cat, hopping up and skipping after them.

"We'll get you both something to drink," said Andre over his shoulder.

Beck nodded and continued to hold Tori. He began to hum absently and rocking her gently like he would a baby. She was no longer crying but still refused to surface out of the safety of his arms.

"Stuff happens so fast now everything is strange," sang Beck just for her ears, his baritone voice soothing. "Nothing seems to last nothing save for change. And I don't know why and I don't know how- But you are my whole world now. And should I lose you at any time- Know I'd be so far from fine. Because I existed before- But I'm not that guy anymore."

Tori raised her head a little to look at him

"What is that song?" she asked, tears still sparkling in the corner of his eyes.

"It's just some lines I've had stuck in my head for a while," replied Beck softly. "I couldn't get them out of my head, so I put them to music. I'm no Andre, I know, and it's just a short little bit, but…"

"I liked it," assured Tori. "Who was it about?"

In answer, Beck leaned forward slowly, so slowly that she had every opportunity to pull away. She sat there, eyes wide, then closing slowly as his lips neared hers. His coffee scented breath mingled with her cinnamon flavored breath and then his slightly chapped lips were on her soft ones, once, twice, three times, and then they were gone as if they had never been there.

"You approved of my application I hear," smirked Beck.

"You're a jerk," giggled Tori, hitting his abs playfully.

"Are the parents of Trina Vega here?" asked a doctor from the door, breaking the apart.

"We're here!" called Mr. and Mrs. Vega, sprinting down the hall. "What's going on? Can we see her?"

"I need to talk to you privately," said the doctor, looking pointedly at Beck and Tori.

"Will it be long?" asked Mr. Vega.

"Yes," replied the doctor.

"Tori, honey, why don't you just go find your friends and go wait at home?" suggested Mr. Vega.

She didn't want to, but her father left her no choice, so Beck helped her to her feet and they went in search of the others before driving to the Vega's house to wait for news.

*Hi! I am so thankful for all of your support and reviews and favorites and all that jazz! You're the best!-Ari


	18. Breaking things like Faces

"I don't hate her," admitted Tori, leaning against Beck as she sat on the ground in front of the red couch in her family room. "Trina, I never hated her."

"Tori, I have a question," said Jade suddenly.

"What?" asked Tori, sitting up and staring at the girl at her kitchen table eating a bowl of cereal.

"You were strangely specific about the car that hit her," said Jade. "It sounded like you knew what car it was. So do you?"

"Before we left the hospital, I talked to the police," said Tori slowly. "I know you guys already talked to them about what you saw, but after what you told me, I had one more thing to add. That car was Ray's brother's car. Ray and I used to ride to school with him sometimes. Ray's brother, Stanly, was a bit of a wild driver; he never paid much attention to the rules of the road. If it was him, I honestly don't think he meant to do it on purpose, I think he was just goofing off and got a bit carried away."

"Wait, what would this Stanly guy be doing around Hollywood Arts?" demanded Andre.

"He was probably racing Ray to get lunch," shrugged Tori. "They used to do that when Ray finally got his own car. There are lots of places to eat around here and Sherwood High really isn't that far from Hollywood Arts. That would explain why Ray came and talked to me right after."

"Whoa, Ray was at Hollywood Arts today?" said Andre, standing up in rage.

"Relax," said Beck in his chill manner. "He stopped by right after you all left to tell Tori about her sister and beg her to go back to him."

"Guys, can we please stop talking about all this?" asked Tori sadly. "Let's just watch a movie while we wait."

Cat helpfully put in a movie at random, one not a single person actually paid attention to but the background noise created the illusion of having something to do, so they did not speak until the credits rolled. The entire time the movie ran its ever predictable course, Tori sat leaning against Beck, every muscle tense with anticipation over what had happened to her sister. She wished her parents would just call or come home and let her know what was going on. Sending her away was torture.

As the screen went dark and the credits started parading across it, Tori's phone began to go off, the annoying high pitched ring tone blaring over the end music.

"Hello?" answered Tori eagerly. "Hey mom! What's going on? How is she?"

"Hi Tori's mom!" called Cat excitedly. "We just watched that funny movie you showed us that one night when Tori wasn't home!"

"Hey baby," said Tori's mother over the phone, sounding tired.

"How's Trina?" demanded Tori, waving Cat away as Beck ran his hands up and down her sides in a soothing manner.

"She's alive," sighed Tori's mom. "Look, Tori, your father and I are going to have to stay here for a while. Trina is stable but it's, well, it's complicated honey."

"What do you mean?" asked Tori, sounding scared, feeling her friends worried eyes on her.

"It's just not looking that great and your father and I can't leave," replied Tori's mom, a bit harshly out of exhaustion. "Look, I called because I wanted to be sure you either had a place to stay or someone to stay with you."

"I'll be fine, mom. You'll keep me updated about Trina, right?"

"Yes, of course."

"Okay."

"Well, I need to go now. I'll talk to you later, honey."

"Bye mom," said Tori before hanging up the phone.

For two full minutes she said nothing, just sat there, staring at the blank screen in her hands. Then she threw it across the room in a very un-Tori like gesture. Even Jade was shocked out the outburst.

"Tori?" asked Beck quietly. "You want to tell us what's going on?"

"I don't know what's going on!" pouted Tori. "My mom called and told me that Trina is stable but it's complicated and she's not coming home and I need to either find a place to stay or have someone stay with me. But she wouldn't tell me details about Trina or what's wrong with her or what's complicated, just that I have to be good and wait."

"Well, then how about we order dinner?" suggested Robbie. "I'll go pick it up if you all just tell me what you want."

"And I'll make coco," said Andre. "Everybody loves coco."

"Jade and I will go get everyone's sleepover stuff!" cheered Cat, bouncing up and down.

"And break!" laughed Beck.

Everyone left Tori sitting in a daze. She couldn't wrap her mind around how amazing her friends were. In a way, she was still stuck in her mindset of Sherwood, that no one really wanted to be her friend and she was left to figure it all out on her own. The way her Hollywood Arts friends just took charge and didn't even wait for her to ask them to stay made her smile. It was as if the thought of leaving her had never occurred to her.

"Hey, Tori," said Beck softly as Andre made coco in the kitchen.

"Yes?" asked Tori, turning to face him.

"I want you to know that I didn't mean to ask you out like I did," said Beck. "Trust me, I'm glad you said yes, but I want to make sure that you said yes because you like me and not because you need comfort or something."

"I really do like you, Beck," replied Tori earnestly, using his name. Everyone loves hearing their own name.

"You're sure?"

"Dude, quit giving her the option to change her mind!" called Andre from the kitchen. "You're damn lucky to have her and you'd better be well aware that she's my best friend, so if you ever break her heart, I will break your face."

"Understood," smiled Beck, kissing the top of Tori's head in a sweet, innocent gesture.

*Hey! So, if you read my other story "Life-And that's It" then you already know this, but if not, here it is-I'm sorry for the late update, but just over a week ago, I got hit by a car while walking AND found out I have mono on the same day. Therefore, I am insanely sore, weak, and exhausted all the time. So, just try to be patient, I haven't forgotten you, I swear! Again, sorry for the late update, I feel awful that I've failed you all like this.-Ari


	19. 3am

It was three am and everyone was asleep in the Vega living room. Jade was sprawled across one couch in her black silk pajama pants and deep red tank top, a borrowed blue blanket half off her body. Robbie had fallen asleep at the table, his glasses dangling off one ear. Cat was curled up on the other couch with Andre, both huddled under an army green blanket. Beck was on the floor with a mess of blankets next to Tori who had fallen asleep with her phone in her hand. That hand, which was resting on Beck's chest with the phone, is what woke Beck up. The phone vibrated with a call, startling the dark haired boy awake enough to slip it out of his girlfriends hand and answer.

"Hello?" whispered Beck thickly, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Hello? Who is this?" came the sound of Mrs. Vega, shocking Beck into awareness.

He realized how sketchy it would sound to have a boy answer Tori's phone so late at night.

"Mrs. Vega, it's Beck Oliver," said Beck. "I'm sorry, Tori's phone woke me up. We're all staying here with Tori tonight, Jade, Andre, Robbie, and Cat."

"Oh," said Mrs. Vega, sounding a bit more relaxed. "Well, is Tori awake?"

"No," replied Beck. "Do you want me to wake her?"

"Yes please."

"Okay, give me a second."

Beck set the phone aside and leaned over to the sleeping girl. He hated waking her when she looked so peaceful knowing the terrible day she'd had. But her mother was on the phone and Tori would not thank him later for letting her sleep. Besides, she was strong, she could handle anything. Beck just had to repeat that thought to himself as he brushed a stray curl out of her face.

"Tori," he whispered. "You need to wake up."

"Mm, sleeping sounds better," muttered Tori, curling into the warmth of his chest innocently.

"I know," replied Beck, stroking her hair. "But your mom is on the phone and she wants to talk to you."

"Mkay," yawned Tori, reaching her arm out blindly for her phone.

Obligingly, Beck set it in her hand which she then placed on her ear, still laying against his chest.

"Hello?" said Tori, trying to wake up.

"Hey baby," cooed Mrs. Vega. "Sorry to wake you."

"It's okay," mumbled Tori. "How's Trina?"

"Trina's doing better sweetie," assured her mother. "She's in a coma right now but they are hoping she wakes up soon."

"But she will wake up?"

"Well, we hope so, but we just don't know right now."

"How is she otherwise?"

"Pretty banged up. The police told us that you think you know who the driver was?"

"Mhm. I think it was Stanly, you know, Ray's big brother. The car my friends saw fits his car exactly and Ray stopped by Hollywood Arts right after it happened."

"But why would Stanly hurt Trina?"

"I don't think he meant to, mom," sighed Tori, exhausted mentally and emotionally.

Beck hugged her and continued to stroke her hair, letting her know he was there.

"Well it just seems like it would be a way to get back at you for the whole Ray debacle."

"We are not going there, mom," snapped Tori. "Don't you dare put this on me. I'll talk to you later, call me if anything with Trina changes."

Tori shut the phone off and tossed it onto the coffee table. For a long time, she just lay in Becks arms, allowing him to comfort her.

"Do you want to talk about it?" asked Beck.

"I overreacted," sighed Tori. "I'm stressed and I overreacted, but what my mom said just irked me. She said that Stanly hitting Trina would be a way to get back at me for breaking up with Ray, as if this is my fault."

"It's not your fault," said Beck, frustrated at Mrs. Vega for upsetting Tori when he had just gotten her to calm down.

"I know," sighed Tori. "And I don't think she meant it. I think she's just as stressed as I am. I just didn't like the way she said it. She was never terribly happy when Ray and I broke up because Ray was such a great catch. I think her saying that just reminded me of that fact."

"Don't listen to her," said Beck, kissing the top of her head. "How's Trina?"

"She's in a coma. But the doctors are hopeful that she will wake up soon. So, we just have to wait until then."

"Okay. Until then, why don't you go back to sleep?"

"Sounds good."

Tori snuggled into Beck, her head resting above his heart, listening to its steady thrum as it lulled her back into a secure sleep where nothing bad was going on, where Ray didn't exist, where she was hanging out with Beck and her friends for fun, and where Trina was being her normal obnoxious but lovable self.

*Hey! It feels great to be allowed to do things again like go to work and write and just get out of the house! Anyway, this story is coming to a close and I am taking requests so if you have something you want me to write, just let me know and I will see if I can do the idea justice. Also, I have another story I am starting and I am super excited about it because I've been playing with the storyline for ages now. Let me know if you want me to tell you when I post it. Until next time-Ari


	20. So Close

The morning dawned like it normally did in a haze of city fumes and sunlight. Tori and her friends woke up to the filtered light shining through the big picture windows and begrudgingly got up and dressed for the day. They decided to go to the hospital and see if Trina was awake yet.

"Hey mom," said Tori softly as she walked into the waiting area of the hospital. "Do you want some coffee?"

"Thank you, baby," smiled Mrs. Vega.

"Is Trina awake yet?"

"No."

"Where's dad?"

"He had to go back to work but he'll be back during his lunch break. Sweetheart, I really appreciate you coming down and all, but really, I think you need to be getting back to school. I promise I'll text you if anything changes."

"Mom, I really want to be here."

"Please, for my sake, go back to school."

"Fine," sighed Tori, turning back to her friends. "Come on, let's go to school."

"Oh, we'll still make it for first hour!" squealed Cat. "I love first hour."

Beck obligingly drove Tori and Robbie to Hollywood Arts while the rest rode with Jade. They got there right as the first bell rang and rushed to class together.

"I'm so sorry to hear about your sister," said a Sandra, a girl who sat in the back of the classroom and just reacted to things.

"Um, me too?" said Tori, uncertain of how she was supposed to respond. "But she's not dead or anything."

"I heard she was in a coma and not waking up," replied Sandra, looking confused.

"Hey, idiot!" snapped Jade. "Why don't you shut up!"

"Oh Jade," sighed Sikowitz from the front of the room. "So feminine. Next time, you might want to add a bit of unicorn fluff, she may respond better."

"Oh I love unicorns!" cried Cat.

Tori settled back into her seat and stayed quiet the rest of class. What Sandra had said made her check her phone every few minutes, sneaking peaks whenever she could. Beck, sitting next to her, noticed her behavior but said nothing.

"Tori!" said Sikowitz suddenly.

"Yes?" asked Tori.

"Stop looking at your phone," said Sikowitz. "In fact, that's the 6th time you've looked at it this period. Bring it up here and give it to me. You may pick it up at the end of the day."

"What?" said Tori, surprised.

"Your phone," repeated Sikowitz. "Bring it up here. You can pick it up at the end of the day."

"But…" stuttered Tori.

"Here," said Beck, taking Tori's phone and bringing it up to Sikowitz who fumbled for the box where he kept confiscated items.

Beck dropped the shiny blue pear shaped phone into the box and returned to his seat. Just then the bell rang. Beck took Tori's hand and lead her out into the hall.

"Beck!" said Tori, upset.

"Here," said Beck, handing her a phone.

Tori looked down at the purple phone in her hand before looking back at her boyfriend in confusion.

"I don't understand," she said at last.

"I gave Sikowitz my phone," shrugged Beck. "You need yours in case your mom calls. I don't need mine, so I switched them."

Tori threw her arms around his neck, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. She refused to cry at school, but that gesture, as simple as it was, in him giving up his phone for her, meant more to Tori than she could ever explain. In a way, it sent her back to that afternoon ages ago when Tori had just broken up with Ray for cheating on her. She missed lunch and Beck had put a hoagie in her locker so that she had something to eat. Little selfless things like that, the small ways he took her into consideration, made her realize how lucky she was.

"You're always looking out for me, aren't you?" said Tori, amazed.

"Of course," laughed Beck, surprised. "You have always been looking out for me. Honestly, Tori, I don't know what I would have done without you when Jade and I broke up."

"You would have been fine," said Tori, her arms still around his neck.

"Maybe, but you made sure of that. You showed up at the place when you didn't have to and then you stayed when I gave you every reason to leave. You had already put us back together once and you were willing to help me again. But it's not just that. It's how you're always trying to help someone even when you're busy. It's how you look at a person and see them as a person, not a stereotype. Tori, I'm always looking out for you because you're too busy looking out for everyone else to look after yourself."

Tori leaned closer to him, her forehead resting against his as people passed them in the hall, trying to get to their next class. He leaned in, ready to close the gap.

Buzz!

A new text tore them apart. Tori opened the message, her face falling as she read.

*Almost done! Just a few ends to tie up and this story will be over! -Ari


	21. Everything Changes

_Trina's not waking up. Her brain activity is too low so they are moving her into a long term care unit. They are doing everything they can but she will be here a while._

That was all the text from her mother said. Tori handed it to Beck, sliding down the wall to the dirty ground. He read the text then sat next to her. For a long time, they just sat not saying anything, both lost in their own thoughts. Tori's mind flitted from one shocked realization to another about what that meant for Trina, how life would be like with her sister barely alive, how her parents would handle it, what would happen. Beck's thoughts raged from how to comfort his girlfriend to what to say when people asked why they were sitting in the hall when they should be in class.

"Do you want to go to the Black Box?" asked Tori suddenly, a wild gleam in her chocolate eyes.

"Sure," said Beck, pulling her to her feet and following her as she lead the way to the Black Box.

Tori walked in to the deserted room, her footsteps echoing slightly as she made her way to the iron ladder bolted to the wall. With ease, she climbed to the top and sat down on the platform of the fly rail. Beck joined her, almost laughing when he thought about all of the talks they'd had up there. The fly rail was almost its own little world, removed from the action of the stage but pivotal to making the show believable. They could sit up there for hours and no one would ever notice them. Being on the cramped platform made them feel as if they could not be touched by any one or anything.

"Everything's going to change now," said Tori, looking right at Beck, her eyes on his, as if he was the only person in the world that mattered.

"Tori-" began Beck painfully.

"No," interrupted Tori gently, holding up her hand to stop him. "Just listen first. Everything is going to change now. Trina's not waking up. My parents are going to be busy looking after her and paying for the medical bills. My house is going to be empty, there won't be an annoying sister singing off key in the shower anymore or driving me crazy on the five minute drive to school. Everything is going to change and I can't stop it. Everything already changed earlier this year with Ray. I thought my world was falling apart then but I was wrong. It was just a tremor compared to the earthquake that's happening now. I feel like I'm trying to keep it all together but I'm bursting at the seams. I just found happiness again and now it's all going to hell. But the thing is, from the moment I broke up with Ray to this instant now, you stepped up and haven't left my side.

"I love Andre and he will always be my best friend because he was the first person I knew at Hollywood Arts outside of Trina and he was the one to try and stop me from leaving when I wanted to give up that first day. I know you and I have only recently been getting close but friendship isn't about who has been in your life longest, it's about who came into your life and never left your side since. And that would be you. What I'm trying to say, I think, is that I don't want to lose you too."

"You aren't going to lose me, Tori," said Beck, pushing a stray stand of hair out of her face.

"But what if this relationship doesn't work out?"

"Then it doesn't work out," smiled Beck. "But at least we gave it a go. And if, in the end, it doesn't work out, it won't be because I cheated on you or because of something like that, it will be because we just don't love each other like that. If that happens, then I promise, I will still be your friend. I will always be here for you in any way you need me, whether that is as a boyfriend, a best friend, or just as an acquaintance. That would suck, to have to step out of your life like that, but I could do it if it made you happy. But that will always be your call, because as long as you want me, I'm here for you."

For a long moment, Tori blinked up at him. Then, slowly, achingly, she leaned forward, inclining her head slightly, straining her neck to meet his face as he, in turn tilted forward to her. For a moment that seemed longer than a moment, their lips hovered a fraction of an inch apart, both waiting for the other shoe to drop. When it didn't, when no scream or text interrupted them, they closed that distance, their lips finally meeting once, twice, three times, and then pulling apart.

Tori smiled up at Beck, sitting there on the fly rail next to him, realizing that maybe not everything had to change after all.

Fin

*There you have it, folks, the end of the story. I really hope you enjoyed it because I certainly loved writing it. It's not my favorite story that I've written, but that's okay, I do this all for you and you seemed to want me to write it, so there you go. Always-Ari


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